Any Problem Can Be Solved Over Tea
by Better Than Haru
Summary: Fire Lord Zuko is having some problems unraveling the mysteries of his wife.  He gets by with a little help of his friends. Well, the ones that aren't drunk.   In honour of Day one of Zutara week.


**Being a day late isn't so bad, right? Right...?**

**NOTICE: THIS WAS TAKEN OFF OF ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF MINE. I'M NOT STEALING**

**BTH  
**

* * *

**1. Family**

He heard her before he saw her. The fast-paced clicking of her shoes spelled either excitement, urgency or irritation. He would have been inclined to speak to her and find out what ever news she had to tell, but Fire Lord Zuko was on his way back to the international delegation room after a ten minute break. Today was day two of a three day peace conference and it was taking it's toll on the young king. Who ever decided it was a good idea to make Sokka the official delegate for the Northern Water Tribe was obviously not in his right state of mind. Hakoda, acting as the delegate for the Southern Water Tribe was doing little to stop his son's less the peaceful arguments.

Zuko quickened his pace, pretending he didn't know she was there. Alas, no dice. Before he could make it down the hall, she tripped him with a small water whip and confronted him. Yes, this was his wife, the beautiful Lady Katara, or rather Fire Lady Katara, as of their wedding two winters ago. She didn't appear to be in a joking mood.

"Zuko, we need to talk." She said in a strong voice.

"And we will. After this meeting." He replied, picking himself off the floor and brushing himself off, "How's dinner?"

She seemed indignant, but she relented. Sort of.

"Then, I'm going with you to the conference."

He gulped, knowing that her tone meant less that she wanted to participate and more that she wanted to keep an eye on him.

"Two nights ago, you said you didn't want to attend because you wanted to go to volunteer at the nearby orphanage."

"I went. I read, I finger painted. But I need to talk to you as soon as possible. Or, is it that you don't _want _me there, eh, _Fire Lord_?"

Her tongue was as sharp as ever.

"You know it's not like that. Come in, if you want, but you're so helping me with the paper work later tonight."

"We have plans tonight."

"Do we?" They began to walk to delegation room, "And what are those plans?"

She smiled slyly, turning the door knob, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

She opened the door and walked in before he could even ask.

Having Katara participate in the meeting proved to be very helpful. Zuko had long since known that she was a gifted leader, suitable for the position of Fire Lady, but she always reiterated this when he saw her at work. This time, she had solved a dispute between Toph, one of the Earth Kingdom delegates, and another Earth Kingdom delegate, established a new trading program between the Fire Nation and the Southern Water Tribe and, most amazingly, kept Sokka's violent out bursts to a virtual

minimum.

Zuko, however, having sensed his wife's earlier irritability, decided that she needed a little more time to cool off. From his own experience, peace conferences were the opposite of relaxing. He invited their friends to dinner. He neglected to remember that hanging out with their obnoxious group of friends was also the opposite of relaxing. After a few drinks, they were all reminded of how much of a light weight Sokka was, a trait he seemed to share with his wife, Suki.. In fact, it was about the time that Sokka was dazzling everybody at their table with his incredible imitation of a moosewalrus, that Suki made a very poorly timed and intoxicated announcement.

"Er'vry body, listen up!" Suki slurred, wobbling as she stood to make her proclamation.

They all looked up, although Sokka still had the chopsticks up his nose.

"Y'all, listening? Good. **I'm pregnant. **And It's Sokka's!" She announced.

"It'd better be, he's your wife! I mean your husband!" Said Sokka.

"That's _you_, Snoozles! You're gonna be a daddy!" Toph laughed, having not had any alcohol, but still finding drunk people hilarious.

They all laughed, having not grasped the gravity of the situation in the least. All except Katara, who's face held a rather stunned, blank look.

Recovering from his laughter and being only slightly buzzed, Zuko noticed his wife's state and became worried.

"Katara, is something the matter?" He whispered as everyone else still laughed.

Shaking her head as though to fend off her emotions, she smiled weakly.

"Don't worry about me, Zuko." she said, "I'm going to bed. I'll wait up for you, since I still want to talk to you."

"Sure, I won't be long." He said, not missing the deflated tone she spoke with in contrast to her usual cheerful sass.

Minutes later, true to his word, Zuko sent the rambunctious lot to their rooms and started toward bed when he heard his Uncle's voice call out to him from the tea room.

"Zuko, come sit with us." Iroh said warmly, motioning between himself and Aang.

"I had figured that monks didn't drink." Zuko said, taking a seat.

Iroh poured his nephew a cup of piping jasmine tea, laughing.

"Yes, but he didn't want to spoil everyone Else's fun."

Aang laughed with him, "I'll have to apologize for giving my share to one of the palace's catlizards. If you see one stumbling around, that's probably him."

"I'll watch for him," Zuko said smiling as her took a sip of his tea, "But I can't stay long, Katara's waiting for me."

"She seemed a little troubled at dinner, Nephew, may I ask what the matter is?"

Zuko's smile fell as he took another small sip before answering, "I'm not sure. She's been trying to talk to me since she got back from the orphanage this afternoon, but it's been pretty busy, so we haven't had the chance."

"An orphanage, you say?" Iroh rubbed his beard in thought, "Have you any ideas, Avatar Aang?"

"Well, Katara only started acting strange after Suki announced she was with child, and when you tell me she visited an orphanage today it reminds me of something Monk Gyatso once told me when some of the female monks were working especially close with the children."

"And what was that?" Zuko said, glumly.

"He said, _'Well, Aang, it looks like a lot of internal clocks are ringing and they're making a lot of noise.' _which, I'm not sure pertains to this situation because I'm still not entirely sure what it means, but maybe you guys do? Man, I wish he hadn't spoken in so many riddles."

Iroh looked positively giddy as Zuko looked as though he might pass out.

"I'm gonna skip the tea and head up stairs, if you don't mind." Zuko said, still looking sick.

"I understand, Nephew. But, let me ask you this; are your worries as justified as you think they are?"

"Thanks, Uncle. Aang." They each nodded to each other before Zuko exited the room.

'_Are my worries justified? Of course they are! I'm not ready to be a __**father**__!_' Zuko thought with exasperation as he made his way up to their room, '_I mean, the past Fire Lords haven't exactly been the most expert of all parents! What if I'm the same? I don't want to make any children of mine suffer! I don't want to put them through the same ringer my father put me and, well, even Azula through. I don't want to hurt Katara, either. What if I unintentionally burden her with all of the stuff a parent should do? What the hell does a good parent even __**do**__?_'

Zuko, by the end of this monologue, seemed to have aged himself quite a bit by the time he got into their room. Katara looked up from her book and became worried.

"Zuko, you look like someone just died! What happened? Oh, no, did some one die?" She asked, panic lacing her voice.

Zuko didn't answer. He simply walked over to her and held her tightly.

"Zuko?" Katara said, confusedly.

"I'm not like my father, am I? I don't want to make my family suffer..." He said.

Katara sighed, opting to return his embrace.

"Is that what this is about? Jeez, Zuko, you can be so silly, sometimes." Katara said softly, "Would Ozai ever worry so much about his family's happiness? Would he have thought so humbly about himself and always put others before his own wishes? Zuko, you may be a little rough around the edges but I'm pretty sure that's because you're so socially inept, not because you're cold hearted."

"Being serious here." He said, voice muffled into the crook of his wife's neck.

She laughed lightly, "I know. But you should realize by now that what draws people most toward you is not charisma, fear or power. It's your honesty and your empathy. Zuko, that's what makes you great in the eyes of the other countries, your nation and your family. So, buck up. You're gonna be a great dad."

"You make it sound like I've already agreed to having a child. You haven't even asked." He said, mildly annoyed.

"I don't have to. I just have to say it." She said confidently,"Zuko, I want a baby. So, we're going to get started right now!"

Blushing despite himself, "You're shameless."

"Nearly two years, we've been married. It's nothing you haven't seen."

"I'm guessing that this was our _'plans'_ tonight?"

Katara smiled brightly, "Yes. Let's start a family."

Leaning in for a kiss, Zuko whispered to her in a deep voice, "Let's."

* * *

**A late entry, but an entry none the less. **

**BTH**


End file.
